Like A Homing Pigeon
by Abboz
Summary: His heart telling him she's in trouble, Will follows it to Djaq, his fears confirmed when he finds her unconscious and alone. Eager to protect and look after her, he then does everything he can to ensure she'll be alright, staying right by her side where he belongs.


"Djaq!" Will sprinted down the slope towards her, skidding slightly before regaining his balance. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he ran; he couldn't explain why but he'd felt it in his heart that something wasn't right, that _she _wasn't alright, and now he could see her lying curled up on the forest floor. She wasn't moving.

He fell to his knees at her side, placing his fingers against her neck to feel for a pulse. It was there, the gentle thrumming of her heart that told him she was alive, reassuring even if it didn't make him relax. "Djaq? Djaq, talk to me. Please." He lightly tapped her cheek with his fingertips, trying to be firm but refusing to hurt her. "Come on, just open your eyes, look at me."

He stilled his hand as he saw her eyelashes flicker. "Hey, shh, shh, don't move. Just look at me." Waiting for her to open her eyes, he gently rubbed her cheek with his thumb, forcing himself to smile as she looked up at him. "Djaq, look, it's me."

The Saracen blinked a couple of times. "Will?"

"Hey, I'm here. Now tell me, are you alright? Does it hurt?"

She held his gaze, eyelids heavy. "I don't know."

His brow creased even more and he kept his hand on her cheek to comfort her. "Shh, just relax." He checked her over as he spoke, careful not to move her but taking note that her limbs were at natural angles so hopefully that meant nothing was broken. "It's gonna be alright, Djaq. I've got you and I'm gonna get you back to camp." Scooping her into his arms, he hurriedly carried her back to their camp, looking down at her whenever he could in an attempt to watch over her. He took her past their friends to their bunks, trying to ignore the concerned ramblings from them.

"Is she alright?"

"What happened?"

"I don't know, I need some space!" He glanced over his shoulder at them and they quickly backed off, heading out to where Much was cooking by the fire.

Will carefully laid her on his bunk, supporting her head as he lowered it, and pulled his blanket over her. Drifting into consciousness, she looked at him with clouded vision. "How did you find me?"

"I followed my heart like a homing pigeon. Now get some sleep." Exhausted, and unable to keep her eyes open, she sighed as she began to fall unconscious again. "I'll be here." He quickly grabbed a couple more of their blankets and cocooned her safely in them to warm her up. Adrenaline fading, he relaxed slightly, shifting from his knees to sit in his place at her bedside, arms resting on the bunk as he watched her. He felt a few tears escape his watering eyes, and unsure if they were from fear or relief, he settled for a mixture of both.

* * *

Will lifted his head off his arms as he saw Djaq begin to stir from her sleep. Her nose wrinkled for a second, eyelids fluttering a while before opening enough for him to see her beautiful eyes and know she was looking back. "Hey, it's alright, it's just me. How do you feel?"

At first she just watched him, needing a little longer to wake and focus properly, unintentionally heightening his concerns. "Hot."

"Sorry." He pulled two of the blankets off her, leaving them bundled up on his lap. "I just needed to keep you warm. Are you in pain? Please just talk to me."

"It's not pain. But I don't feel right."

He couldn't help frowning. "Okay, well I need to know what to do. Do you feel strong enough to tell me what happened?"

"I don't know, Will. I don't know what happened." Her eyes flooded with tears so he cupped her cheek to calm her.

"It's alright, you're safe. I won't let anything happen to you." He gently hushed her. "Just tell me whatever you did see."

"Nothing. I was fine, then my head hurt, then the next thing I saw was you."

"Just relax, let me do the worrying, I'm going to look after you. Come here." He carefully moved his hand to cradle her head, tenderly checking the back of it with his fingertips. Luckily whoever had hit her didn't seem to have caused any lasting damage, just knocked her out and left her confused. "It feels alright." He smiled as he looked her firmly in the eye. "I think you're going to be alright. Just relax, stay warm, rest, I'm gonna look after you, I promise."

With effort, she lifted her hand to brush her fingers through his hair. "You worry too much."

"I find my best friend unconscious, lying on the ground, alone in the woods. I'm allowed to be worried. In fact I'm obligated."

"I know." She nodded, she hadn't meant it, it was supposed to ease his mind, at least make him smile, but if anything it'd had the opposite effect.

"I'm allowed to be worried and scared, but you don't have to be scared anymore 'cause I'm here, and all you have to worry about is resting, feeling better, alright?" He sat still for a few seconds, almost feeling like he needed to catch his breath as he looked into her eyes. "I'm so sorry for not coming with you."

She shook her head. "I didn't ask you to."

"No, but I felt like I should, and I stupidly told myself that I shouldn't because I didn't want to impose myself on you in case you wanted time alone."

She smiled; he was so incredibly sweet. "Time with you is better than time alone."

"Then next time I'll come." He swept his fingers through her hair a few times. "You get some more rest, alright?" He gently kissed her forehead when she nodded. "I'll be right here."

"Will?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you really follow your heart?"

He gave a slight nod, lips curling upwards. "Yes."

"Thank you for trusting it."

His smile grew into a fully formed grin. "Well it hasn't steered me wrong yet." He watched as she closed her eyes and began to drift off again. "I trust you."

His last comment registered just as she started to lose consciousness. She was asleep before she had the chance to wonder if it meant she was his heart.

* * *

The next time Djaq woke the camp was silent and lit with a dull orange glow. At first she assumed the sun was setting and she'd only slept a couple more hours, but the change in Will's presence at her side told her different. His head was resting on the bunk again, arms in front of him, and he was sound asleep. She was sure he wouldn't have fallen asleep before nightfall, not when he was so desperate to look after her, and instead must have given into exhaustion whilst waiting patiently at her side. His comforting presence had let her sleep right through the night, and the realisation made her smile with gratitude and adoration. She gently stroked his hair, enjoying playing with the strands as she dozed, and waited to fall back asleep again.

Will soon stirred, swiftly realising it was her touch that had woken him, and looked up at her with a smile. "Hey, are you alright?"

She nodded. "Will, I didn't mean to take your bunk. You should have moved me over."

"I didn't want to disturb you."

She smiled. "Well I still feel like I need to sleep for hours. If I move over, you can get some too, and in bed. And you'll be here if I need you."

"Alright, for you. Come here." He moved her across to her own bunk and then climbed up onto his, covering himself with one of the blankets he'd taken off her earlier. He shuffled up close to her, to provide warmth and comfort, smiling as she reached for him and he folded her in his arms, her head resting safely in the middle of his chest. "Go to sleep, rest all you need. I'm protecting you."

* * *

Three hours later, Djaq stirred from her sleep once more, opening her eyes to see Will peering down at her. "Hello."

She smiled as he tightened his arms around her to make her feel safe. "Morning, Will."

"Tell me, how do you feel?"

"My head doesn't hurt. I feel rested."

"Good. Any broken bones?"

"I don't think so."

"Okay, what about bruises, cuts, anything aching?"

"Not really, I just feel a little fragile."

He beamed as he kissed her forehead. "I know how to help with fragile. Warmth, plenty of rest, eat well, and a lot of absolutely necessary cuddling." She smiled with a slight laugh. "So sort yourself out and I'll get us some breakfast."

She tilted her head up to look him in the eye, hoping to portray her adoration. "Thank you."

"For what? You're alright."

"I wouldn't be if you hadn't found me."


End file.
